Fire Outbreak Destroys Shops at Alaba Market In Lagos

Fire ravages Alaba Market, destroying shops and goods worth millions.
Traders lament slow response as firefighters battle raging flames.
Cause of the inferno yet to be determined by authorities.

Goods worth millions of naira have been destroyed after a massive fire swept through the popular Alaba International Market in Lagos State on Tuesday evening.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that eyewitnesses said the fire, which started in one of the major sections of the market, spread rapidly, engulfing several rows of shops and warehouses filled with electronics and building materials. Traders and onlookers watched in horror as thick black smoke covered the sky.

A live TikTok broadcast by user KB Clothings captured scenes of chaos and grief, showing traders screaming and weeping as they struggled to salvage their goods. Others were seen breaking into locked shops in a desperate attempt to retrieve items before the flames spread further.

Eyewitnesses accused market security officials of responding too slowly, allowing the fire to spread uncontrollably. “We called for help early, but there was no immediate response,” one trader lamented.

Operatives of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service later arrived at the scene to battle the blaze. As of the time of filing this report, firemen were still working to fully extinguish the flames.

The Alaba International Market is one of Nigeria’s largest electronics and building materials markets, attracting traders from across the country and West Africa. The cause of the fire remains unknown, and authorities are yet to issue an official statement on the extent of damage or casualties.